Hydraulic machinery.



PATENTED JULY 28, 1908.

H. A. HIGGINS. l *HYDRAULIC MACHINERY.

v APPLICATION FILED NOV. B, 1905.

s SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTBD JULY 28, 1908. H.` A. HIGGINS.

HYDRAULIC MACHINERY. APPLIQATIQN AFILED Nqv. s, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

ATTORNEY A, f PATENTED JULY 28, 1908. i H. A. HIGGINS. l

HYDRAULIC MACHINERY. APBLIQATION FILED Nov. a, 1995. l 3 SHEETS SHEET 3.

I 1.0 -F|G.5. 5'/

y V 204 Y Unirse rsrv-inns PATENT' etnica.'

HARRY A. HIGGINS, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE COE BRASS MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

HYDRAULIC MACHINERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 28, 1908.

Application filed November 8, 1905. 'Serial No. 286,383.

l To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY A. HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kenosha, Kenosha county, Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Machinery, of which thefollowing is a specification. A

My invention relates generally to apparatus operated by hydraulic pressure and more specifically consists of an improved form of hydraulic machinery which is particularly adapted to the operation of hydraulic draw benches.

In hydraulic machinery heretofore con-4 structed, in which separate sets of cylinders have been employed for producing the outward and return motion, a great length` of bed has been necessary, and much floor space has been occupied thereby. My invention overcomes this difiiculty by telescoping certain parts of the hydraulic mechanism. It also possesses other advantages of construction and operation hereinafter' to be pointed out.

The best form of mechanism embodying my invention at present known to me is illustrated in the accompanying three sheets of drawings in which:

' Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side elevation and partial section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 2a is a detail in section of the valves controlling the iluid supplied to the hydraulic cylinders. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section, with parts broken out, showing the hydraulic cylinders in section, the section being taken on the'line 3 3 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 isa vertical section on lines 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view in vertical section on line 5 5 of Fig. 1; Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are respectively cross sections taken on lines 6 6, 7 7 8 8 and 9 9, of Fig. 2.

Throughout the drawings, like reference gures indicate like parts.

51 (Fig. 2) indicates the floor or other support upon which the mechanism rests.

' 52 is the main bed supporting the right hand portion of the machine, said bed resting upon the standards 52a, 52",' 52, or other -convenient supports. The left hand end of the machine is supported on separate standard 53. H

54 and 54a are two largehydraulic cylinders which I will call the main cylinders.

l Each of these is closed at the `left 'hand end and provided at the right hand, or outer end, with stuffing boxes 55, 55a, through which work the piston plungers 56, 56a'. The stuffing boxes 55, 55a, on the open ends of the main cylinders are connected by a yoke 59, while the closed ends of the cylinders are connected by the yoke 10.

I have shown the hydraulic motor vmechanism arranged to perform work in drawing tubes through a die. The outer ends of the plungers 56, 56a, are connected' together by a yoke 57, to which are attached the grippers or tongs 58 by which a tube 14 may be drawn through a die. A I

18, 18a, are horizontal guides or slides on the bed trough 52, and 19 is a carriage sliding thereon. 20, 20a', are long tubes passing through openings in said carriage (see Fig. 7) and having consequently a sliding connection therewith. The right hand ends of these tubes are screwed into the hollow yoke 20h, which is mounted on the outer end ofthe bed 52.

The main piston plungers 56, 56a, are made hollow, as shown in Fig. 3, and have preferably located in them cylinders 21, 21a, of smaller diameter, which will just fit over the ends of the tubes 20, 20a, which tubes extend through the hollow piston ends 22, 22a, in which the inner cylinders 21,21 a, are mounted. These piston ends 22, 22a, are provided with stuffing boxes 23, 23a, so as to form water tight oints with the tubes 20, 20a.

24 represents a saddle sliding on guides 18, 18a, to which is -pivoted by means of the bolt 25, the jaws 58a, 58h, ofthe tongs or grippers 58. The rear ends of these jaws are connected by links 26, 26a, to the pin 27 on the piston yoke 57.

The piston yoke 57 has the buHer 29, of rubber or other slightly yielding material, mounted on its rear side at the point of contact with the carriage 19. This carriage 19, has the spring dog 30, pivoted at 28 to its under side, said spring dog or catch being. normally held up by the spring 31, into the position shown in Fig. 5, in which it is adapted to overlap and grasp the lower end of the pin 27, or other suitable projection on the piston yoke.

32 is a Vblock with a curved surface set in the bed of the machine and adapted to coperate with the tail 3()aL of the s ring catch 30, so as to trip the same when t e carriage 19, movesover said block. 34 is a stop on the under side of said carriage 19, arranged to v,two levers being strike the cross iece 35, which inthis case is shown as the eng of one of the troughs forming the bed 52.

36, Fig. 2, is a diagrammatic representation of a pum taking water from the tank 37, forcing it t irough the hydraulic accumulator 38 and pipes 39, 39L and 41, to the main cylinders 54, 54a.

39h, is a branch pipe leading to the hollow yoke 2Gb, and through it to the pipes 20 and 20a. 39c is a hand valve which may be used to regulate the iow through said branch pipe 39h, but which is kept open during the operation of the machine.

40 represents the valve mechanism which controls the supply to the pipe 41 and discharge therefrom, said valve mechanism comprising the inlet valve 40, outlet valve 4Gb, and the lever 43, connecting the two.

42 is a pipe leading from the discharge valve 4()b back to the tank 37.

Feed pipe 41 has the branches 41a and 41b connecting with the two cylinders, as shown in Fig. 9.

In practice, the pipe 39 leading from the pressure tank enters the valve casing about midway between the top and bottom thereof so that in the position of the valve 4() a in Fig. 2*, the pipe is open and when the valve descends to its lowest position, the pipe is closed.

43, is a link connecting the valve lever 43 with the operating lever 44, which, as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 8, is a hand lever, but has a lever arm 44a of the bell crank 44 a, 44C connected thereto for automatic operation, the

pivoted at 44h. This automatie operation is produced through the sliding tappet rod 45, which slides in the guides 48, 48", on the bed, and carries tappet arms 46, 46 with which the overhanging lug 49, carried by the piston yoke 57 coperates. The tappet rod preferably has a spring connection 45a with the bell crank arm 44a.

47, 47, (see Figs. 3 and 9) are anti-friction rollers ournaled on the inner end of the iston plungers 56, 56, and adapted to rol on the interior of the main cylinders, 54, 64, and support the piston plungers so as to prevent excessive friction and uneven wear.

The mode of operating my invention is as follows: A tube 14, being brought from the machine in which the same is prepared, the attendant ulls back the mandrel rod 11, as far as the oose motion connection 13 will permit, thereby freeing the mandrel 12, from the die 15, and lifts said mandrel up far enough to permit him to slip the tube over the same. The tube and mandrel are then dropped down again and the reduced end of the tube is shoved through the die 15, between the jaws of the grippers 58, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 3. During all this time, the pump 36 is running con tinuously, but the machine being in a position of rest, the valves 40 and 40, are each half way open, and the water passes through said valves and back to the tank through the return pipe 42, without moving the hydraulic machinery. The tube being in the position as described, the attendant grasps the hand lever 44, and throws it to the left (looking at the machinery inthe position shown in Figs. 1 and 2). This closes the discharge valve 40b and opens the inlet valve 46". later is accordingly forced through the inlet pipe 41 to the main cylinders 54, 54, and the plungers 56, 56, start toward the right hand on their outward stroke, carrying with thein the piston yoke 57. The outward inotion of the piston plungers is of course opposed by the pressure of the water in the tubes 20, 26, and inner cylinders 2]., 21, but as the effective area of said pressure is niuch less than the area of cross section of the main cylinders 54, 54, the pistons are driven out by the excessive pressure, as before described, and a portion of the water in the tubes 20, 26"', and inner cylinders 21, 21, is forced out through the reversing pipe 39b and around into the main cylinders.

The first movement-of the piston yoke 57, serves to straighten out the links 26, 26, and the jaw members 58, 58h, thereby closing the jaws of the tongs down uponthe end of the tube 14, and gripping the saine firmly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. After the links have been straightened out in this inanner, further motion of the piston yoke nieves also the saddle 24, on which the tongs or gri )pers are pivoted, and the latter begin lo pull the tube through the die.

When the piston yoke has traveled far enough for the buffer 29 to strike the carriage 19, the latter is carried along with it, and as soon as the tail 30 of the spring catch I() runs off the curved surface 32, the dog 36 comes up and overlaps the lower end of the. pin 27, thereby locking the carriage and the piston yoke together. Vhen the carriage and piston yoke have reached the right hand limit of their travel, by which tiinc the tube has been pulled through the die 15 and reduced throughout its entire length, the lug 49 strikes the tappet arin 46, and through the tappet rod 45 and spring connection to the bell crank arm. 44, throws the valve system. 40 into the reverse position, closing the inlet valve 46 and opening the discharge valve 40h. The water in the inain cylinders 54, 54, now having a free passage back to the tank 37, there is nothing to oppose the. constant pressure still maintained through the reversing pipe 39h, and tubes 26, 26,

against the interior cylinders 21, 21, and

under the influence of said pressure, the carriage 19 and main pistons and piston yoke begin to move on the back stroke toward the left. The first effect of this motion is to lli) --and carried 'ar enough to l artially open both of the valves 40a, and 40 thus leaving the machine in the position of rest until the operator inserts the new tube and again starts the machine by completing the throw of the hand lever 44, as before described.

In order to prevent the dog 30 being lifted too high by the spring 31, in case the carriage 19 should rebound far enough to carry the tail 30a 0H the curved surface 32, I provide a stop 33 forsuch upward motion of the spring dog.

As the weight of the plungers 56, 56a, is considerable, and they would rest heavily on i the lower portion of the cylinder interior when driven home into said cylinders, I provide the anti-friction rollers 47, 47?, which ride on the interior of said cylinders and prevent friction and wear.

The anchorage device for the mandrel rod may be adjusted by rotating the sore threaded rod 13C.

The speed of the return motion of the piston may be regulated by controlling the fiow of fluid through the reversing pipe 39h. by means of the hand valve 89", and the surplus fluid delivered by the pump may be stored in the accumulator 38, to assist in accelerating theaoutward stroke of the pistons.

The advantages of my invention comprise the shortening up of the machine bytelescoping the tubes 20 and 20EL containing the fiuid for the reverse stroke into the main pistons; the supporting by means of the carriage 19 of the tubes 20, 20a, midway of their length when they are withdrawn from the piston plungers; the automatic action of the apparatus throughout, eXcept when in a position at which a newtube must be introduced; the powerful and certain action of the gripping apparatus; the elimination of friction of the main plungers in the cylinders; and the ample provision for adjusting all parts.

It is evident of course that various changes could be made in the details of construction illustrated Without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention. Many features of my invention can be employed in hydraulic machinery other than that of a draw bench. The supporting action of the carriage 19, could be applied to machine elements other than the particular tubes here shown. The .reversing mechanismcould be employed with hydraulic apparatus in which the telesco ing features herein described might not ge employed. These and other modifications, however, which would occur to the skilled mechanic, I should still consider within the boundaries of my invention. Other forms -of loose motion mechanism might be substituted for the links 26, 26, which operate the grip er.

'Having thus descri ed my invention,A I claim:

1. The combination with the main frame and a hydraulic cylinder carried thereby, of a hollow lunger located in said cylinder and adapted) to reciprocate therein, a second hollow plunger located in said first-'named plunger and having its outer end open, means for causing a constant interior pressure on the second plunger, manu al starting means for effecting an exterior pressure upon the first plunger during the outward stroke and automatic means for effecting a release of said exterior pressure during the inward stroke and a reease of said interior pressure at the end of the stroke.

2. The combination with the main frame and a hydraulic cylinder carried thereby, of a hollow lunger located in said cylinder, a second fiollow plunger located in said firstnarned plunger and having .its outer end open, means for su plying a constant iuid pressure within sai second plunger, initial manual means and automatic means for effecting an alternation of fiuid pressure in said cylinder and a release of pressure within said second plunger at the end of said alternation.

3. The combination with the mainframe and a hydraulic cylinder carried thereby, of a hollow lunger located in said cylinder, a second ollow plunger located in said first named plunger and having its outer end o en, a pipe connecting with the outer end o the second named plunger and over which the said second named plunger is adapted to move during its outer stroke, means for supplying saidpipe with constant fiuid pressure, initial manua means and automatic means for effecting an alternation of fluid pressure in said cylinder and a release of pressure in said pipe at the end of the inward stroke 4. The combination with the main frame and a hydraulic cylinder carried thereby, of a hollow lunger located in said cylinder, .a second ollow plunger located in said first named plunger and having its outer end o en, a pipe supported by the main frame and aving one end located in the opening in the end of said second named plunger, together with means 'for supplying fluid under constant pressure to the said pipe and fluid under intermittent pressure to the hydraulic cylinder, said means comprising a pump, an open connection from said pump to said pipe, a

l connection from said pump to said hydraulic cylinder, a valve for opening and closing said last named connection, a discharge connection for said hydraulic cylinder, a valve controlling the same, initial manual means for operating said valves and automatic means for eiicecting a single reciprocation of said plungers within the cylinder.

5. The combination of a reciprocating piston, cylinders of different diameter operatively arranged upon opposite sides of said piston, a source of constant hydraulic pressure, a constantly open connection from said source of hydraulic pressure to the smaller cylinder, a connection from said source of hydraulic pressure to the larger cylinder, a discharge connection adapted to be connected with said larger cylinder and with said source of pressure, a pair of valves coperating to control said connections and arranged when in mid-position to connect the discharge with the larger cylinder and also with the source of pressure, manual starting means and automatic means for operating said valves to effect a single reciprocation of said piston.

6. The combination of a reciprocating piston, cylinders of different diameter operatively arranged upon opposite sides of said piston, a source of constant hydraulic pressure, a constantly open connection from said source of hydraulic pressure to the smaller cylinder, a connection from said source of hydraulic pressure to the larger cylinder, and a valve controlling said connection, a discharge connection to said larger cylinder having a valve controlling the same, manual starting means and automatic means for operating said valves simultaneously to effect a single cycle of operations, whereby one complete reciprocation of said piston is effected.

7. The combination of a reciprocating element, a supporting `frame provided with guides, a fixed element upon the sup orting frame extending parallel with the guides and having a sliding connection with the reciprocating element, a carriage mounted on the guides and also having a sliding connection with the iiXed-element, and means for causing the carriage to move with the reci rocating element during a portion of the atters travel, but remains stationary at a point intermediate the limits of movement of the reciprocating element during the remainder of said travel.'

8. The combination of a reciprocating element, a supporting frame provided with guides, a fixed element upon the sup )orting frame extending parallel with the guides and having a sliding connection with the reciprocatingelement, a carriage mounted on. the guides and also having a sliding connection with the iixed element, and means for causing the carriage to move with the reciprocating element during a portion of the latters travel but to remain stationary at apoint intermediate the limits of motion of the reciprocating element during the remainder ol said travel, said means comprising a spring catch on the carriage adapted to engage the reciprocating element, and a sto 3 l'or the carriage provided with mechanism tor disengaging said catch.

`9. The combination of a horizontally reciprocating piston, a supporting frame provided with horizontal guides, a carriage mounted on said guides, a pipe fastened at one end to the supporting frame, telescoping at its other end into the reci )rocating piston and supported intermediatelly of its endsvby the sliding carriage, a spring catch on the carriage adapted to connect it with the reciprocating piston only when the latter moves into contact with it on the out stroke, a stop for the carriage at a point intermediate the extremities of the piston travel, and a stationary curved member adapted to strike and disengage the catch when the return stroke of the piston brings the carriage against the stop.

l0. The combination with a reciprocating piston, cylinders of different diameters operatively arranged upon opposite sides ol' said piston, a source of' constant hydraulic pressure, a constantly open connection from said source of hydraulic pressure to the smaller cylinder, a connection from said source of hydraulic pressure to the larger cylinder, a discharge connection adapted to be connected with said larger cylinder and with said source of pressure, a pair of valves coperating to control said connections and arranged when in mid-position to connect the discharge with the larger cylinder and also with the source of pressure, manual starting means and automatic means for determining the direction of eliective pressure.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature7 in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY A. HIGGINS. Witnesses:

JAs. B. EEWIN, LEVERETT C. WHEELER. 

